Diddly Squat farm shop car park application splits opinion

But school-run parents are begging the council approves the new facility for safety reasons following issues with parking on the verges leaving little room for access.

The television presenter has applied to use a 60 metre x 32 metre field next to the Diddly Squat farm shop to provide parking for 70 vehicles in four rows until January 1, 2025.

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Consultee Chadlington Parish Council says it "feels that there is concern in the village that a temporary car park is unlikely to stay 'temporary'".

It suggests that the council "guard against a further application for more space or a permanent arrangement as this would represent further development creep on this prominent part of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty landscape".

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The application comes after West Oxfordshire District Council refused Mr Clarkson permission for a permanent car park.

An appeal against the decision is currently under consideration following a hearing in March.

Visitors have been parking in verges on Chipping Norton Road since the shop reopened in February, churning up verges and causing near-misses and serious safety issues, say residents.

The parish council believes that a temporary car park is only a "partial solution to the problem of cars obstructing the highway and degrading the verges" and is likely to be too small.

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It says a broader strategy is needed at the site which has been inundated with fans of hit TV series Clarkson's Farm.

Its submission states: "The council feels that if the application is granted it will not be sufficient to cope with the large numbers of cars at popular times and, therefore, needs to be seen as part of developing a comprehensive visitor management plan as befitting what has clearly become a major tourist attraction."

The plan should contain actions to prevent parking on nearby highways and encourage visitors to travel by public transport, it suggests.

It should create an overflow car park, possibly on the nearby old airfield site, and provide a shuttle service for visitors.

The council also state that visitor numbers should be managed or restricted on days when large numbers of visitors are expected such as weekends and school holidays.

The parish council wants no waiting - the equivalent of double yellow lines - along Chipping Norton Road and the A361.

Oxfordshire County Council is holding off implementing this while there is "continued working" between the county, district and Thames Valley Police.

The application has divided opinion with around 30 objection comments and 15 in support on the West Oxfordshire District Council planning portal.

Some neighbours are begging the council to approve it as the lack of parking is causing major safety issues with one parent even having to drive into a hedge to avoid a crash.

One neighbour who lives directly opposite said: "I and at least 10 others drive past four times a day to take our children to and from Chadlington School.

"Many times I've had to come to a sudden and abrupt stop as parked cars have swung open doors onto the road without looking and other times as people just walk out into the road between the parked cars.

"Just last week a mini bus drove around a parked coach onto my side of the road and I had to drive into the hedge to avoid being hit by the mini bus head on."

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Another parent with boys at the primary school in Chadlington added: "The car parking situation is horrific, I struggle to get past most times and regularly have to make emergency stops to avoid colliding with pedestrians who just dart out into traffic without looking.

"They also pull off the verge into the road without checking for oncoming traffic which again causes me to have to make emergency stops.

"It's a significant safety risk to myself and my children and the many others who take their children to school using this road."

Mr Clarkson says in a covering letter a short-term solution was needed while they continue to battle for a more permanent solution.

"Whilst there is an application for a permanent car park currently at appeal, the decision on that may be some time away," he states.